Tuesday, April 6, 2010

When buying lavender to EAT be sure you go to a dealer that specialises in EDIBLE lavender.

This lavender has been grown without chemicals and preserving agents.

Use of this herb is only as limited as your imagination! Add a little, then add more as needed.Use care, because if you add too much, you will give your dish a perfume flavor!

From simple recipes of LAVENDER SUGAR(1T.lavender,2c.sugar), to more fanciful LAVENDER PISTACHIO CRUSTED LAMB CHOPS, this herb runs the gambit from sweet to savory.

Sprinkle it along with your other herbs in just about anything! Oatmeal, biscuits, butter, ice cream, ice cream sauce, lavender lemonade, cream cheese, potatoes(any way you slice 'em!),tea and coffee cakes, shortbread, cookies...I think you get the idea.

If a recipe calls for ROSEWATER or you can use LAVENDER in it's place. ROSEMARY can also be substituted with LAVENDER, it just takes a bit more to reach the potency.

People had forgotten that lavender is an herb as well a beautiful plant to have in the landscape. But in recent years there has been a resurgence of popularity. I know it's one of our top sellers.

I believe it's the awe factor. Most people don't use lavender just to use it. It's still considered quite decadent. They use it to impress.

"Oh, companies coming! Let me grab the lavender!" Because the simple truth is, lavender is easy to use. It has the WOW FACTOR that accompanies it.

Despite it's increasing culinary following and the successful lavender farms popping up in the U.S.(many of which are producing as fine a product as in Europe), it's not an everyday herb. Maybe it's flavor is one that you have to acquire. Or maybe it's something that if you were raised with you would be more likely to treat yourself.

So, it might be that our children are the ones to see to it that it makes it way to the grocery shelf.

I can see it now... I say,"In our day Lavender was considered exotic, we pulled it out right along with the fine china!"